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New Molecular Targets For Cannabidiol Used For Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Treatments

A recent study performed by the University of Louisville School of Medicine may have found a new therapeutic treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. Both are neurodegenerative diseases involved with GPR3 and GPR6 – members of constitutively active, G protein-coupled receptors. “Previously, it has been reported that GPR3 is involved in Alzheimer’s disease whereas GPR6 plays potential roles in Parkinson’s disease. GPR3 and GPR6 are considered orphan receptors because there are no confirmed endogenous agonists for them.”

However, it was then discovered that GPR3 and GPR6 are phylogenetically related to our cannabinoid receptors. High levels of β-arrestin2, an intracellular protein, has been shown to increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. β-arrestin2 is recruited to both GPR3 and GPR6. However, CBD was shown to reduce this recruitment significantly.

Because of the decreased recruitment levels, CBD was shown to act “as an inverse agonist at both GPR3 and GPR6 receptors”. So, the results of this study suggest that GPR3 and GPR6 likely mediate the potential therapeutic effects of CBD administration. This would be important for the treatment of both neurodegenerative diseases.

The abstract of this study concludes that:

“These results demonstrate for the first time that both GPR3 and GPR6 are novel molecular targets for CBD. Our discovery that CBD acts as a novel inverse agonist on both GPR3 and GPR6 indicates that some of the potential therapeutic effects of CBD (e.g. treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease) may be mediated through these important receptors.”

Tisha Casida (in a Hemp Field of Colorado) Founder of That's Natural! and a staunch advocate of Food & Medicine Freedom. She has owned her own small business for nine years, and as a former candidate for Congress, has first-hand knowledge of policy issues and solutions for Coloradans.